Chapter Nine #3
“The pound cake smells good. But none for the dog. Chocolate is deadly for dogs or so I hear,” she said as she entered the kitchen, her presence brightening the space.
“Good, leaves more for the rest of us,” Axel chuckled.
Nick wished he could whisper a thank you for Jenna’s compliment about his cake or at the very least say he would bake a cake for her anytime, but suddenly he felt tongue tied. He figured it had something to do with what he’d found in a kitchen cabinet. Or more like what he’d found in her purse.
When he’d opened the cabinet door, looking for baking supplies, the purse had fallen out onto the countertop and some of the contents had spilled out.
Shock had shot through his system as he’d spied one particular item, a plastic bottle of pills, which had rolled off the counter onto the floor. He’d of course picked it up and had inadvertently read the prescription label.
She was keeping a secret. A big time secret. But hey, they hadn’t been here long enough for her to tell Axel about her…situation.
He noted her cheeks were rosy and her hair was brushed neatly. She’d also changed into a pink T-shirt. It was obvious she’d taken a moment to freshen up, and he couldn’t help but notice just how attractive she looked.
His breath backed up as her gaze locked onto him.
“And how are you feeling, Nick? You shouldn’t have gone off alone. Sam has a three sided lean to, and his horses know to go there for cover.”
Nick shook his head, acknowledging her words.
He couldn’t resist a joke.
“Now she tells me,” he replied, lightening the mood.
Although he’d seen the lean-to that morning, Nick was glad to know the horses were well-trained enough to seek shelter when needed.
“I left a tube of antibiotic ointment and a bottle of painkillers for your injury on the chair by the back door. Axel can put some on in the morning. How is your head?” she asked, moving closer and scrutinizing his injury to make sure he was really all right.
Please touch me, Nick silently wished. He held perfectly still, as if afraid any movement might break the fragile moment between them. He became lost in her alluring scent and the intensity of her gaze. He found her eyes so captivating that he could easily lose himself in them.
“Still sore, but better. I took another round of pain killers. Oh, and I noticed your answering machine is flashing. So you have messages,” Nick said.
Jenna nodded, her demeanour shifting as excitement sparkled in her eyes. Without hesitation, she hurried to the answering machine located by the landline phone.
“Did you need us to leave the room?” Nick asked as thunder cracked nearby.
He didn’t want to intrude on her privacy, especially with the potential for personal messages.
Jenna shook her head and pressed the button to play the messages. A man’s voice came through, referencing the information she had provided to him. It was clear this was the police officer she had contacted earlier.
Axel frowned and shot a questioning look at Nick, his expression clearly asking what the hell was going on.
“The licence plate was stolen from a neighbour in the area,” the officer’s voice boomed. “And we’re still waiting for feedback on the tire tracks and for any prints on the evidence. Might be a few days, they’re pretty backlogged at forensics.”
The man told Jenna to get in touch if anything else happened and that he was glad that she had someone staying with her but unhappy about the attack. He would send out an officer sometime tomorrow to get a statement.
Axel stared at Nick and slowly shook his head. Apparently Axel was not liking this.
Then came another message. This one from a woman named Charlotte.
They learned quickly it was the nurse practitioner saying she would prefer it if Jenna brought in the victim for her to check, but in the meantime she gave her symptoms to look out for and to call her immediately, twenty-four seven, if anything got worse.
“Well, you certainly don’t seem to have most of those symptoms,” Jenna said as she stopped the machine when Charlotte said goodbye.
Jenna’s concern was evident as she fixed Nick with a piercing gaze.
“You would tell us if there was something wrong, right?” she asked.
The intensity in her eyes left Nick with no doubt that lying to her would be impossible.
He nodded in reassurance.
“Yes, I will. But seriously, my balance is back to normal, and the headache never got worse. Thank you for caring. I appreciate it.”
Silently, Nick added to himself that her concern meant more than she could possibly know. Aside from Axel, no one had truly cared about him for a long time. The realization that he might actually matter to Jenna gave him a sense of comfort he hadn’t felt in ages.
Jenna gave him a quiet, affirming nod, acknowledging his words.
Lightning flashed at the windows.
There was a brief pause before she spoke again, and she rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
“Axel missed lunch. I can hear his stomach growling. He gets an extra helping of supper because he didn’t complain once about missing a meal.
So, let’s get supper warmed up before the power goes out.
I’m surprised it hasn’t already. I can’t wait to get another taste of Axel’s delicious meatloaf and Nick’s yummy smelling cake! ”
She sent a playful wink in Axel’s direction, trying to lighten the mood, though Axel’s tense posture suggested he was still uneasy about the cop coming over tomorrow. Nick hoped that Axel wouldn’t bring up the topic of the intruder, at least for tonight, so they could all have a peaceful supper.
Reflecting on the day’s events, Nick couldn’t help but think that it had been one hell of an eventful first day on the job.